Golden Star
by Emilamoo
Summary: Rachel is a young, famous Braodway star, but that doesn't mean there isn't a day that goes by where she doesn't think of her mother, the woman who she aspired to be as great as. And suddenly she sees her. Or does she? Mentions of Shelby. AU Futurefic.


**Yes, I know I should be working on Three Years, but this idea popped into my head and would not get out until I wrote it and posted it up. So don't blame me; blame the little writing workers in my brain. **

**Warning(s)/ things to know: Not a happy fic. Character death (although not described). Slight Shell, but nothing more than a mentioning of it. The ending's kinda sucky. It sounded better in my head. And, as mentioned in the summary, AU and a futurefic. ****Golden Star**

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Rachel Berry had focused growing up in her mother Shelby Corcoran's glorious image, and succeeded. At just 28 years of age, she had already starred in three major Broadway productions, quickly achieving her life-long goal. Anyone who had at least a slight interest in musicals knew who she was. Her performances were almost always sold out.

At least half of the entire audience of one particular show was waiting for Rachel to appear for a rare autograph signing and picture event after the last showing of her current musical in New York. She stepped out dressed in one of her most popular costumes from the musical. Her fans screamed for her and thrust their items they wanted signed in her direction. She smiled and began signing immediately, chatting with the fans who loved her- and vise versa- so much.

She finished signing one woman's CD and looked up.

"There you go-"

Her voice trailed off, and her face paled. She spotted dark, wavy, shiny hair just like hers. High cheekbones, a familiar nose, and deep, beautiful eyes that mirrored her own. An older, more graceful, elegant, and mature version of her stood in front of her, several feet away.

"Mom?" she whispered.

A grace of a smile crossed the mysterious woman's features. It was a Mona Lisa smile. Her head tipped downward in the slightest of nods, her eyes twinkling.

But then someone stepped in front of her. When the man moved away, she was gone.

Rachel took a step forward. "Mom?" Her fans stared at her like she had grown another head. She rushed towards where she could've sworn her mother had been. "Shelby? Ms. Corcoran? Mom!"

She pushed past the crowd, weaving her way in between the mass of people. She mumbled hurried apologizes to the people around her. Eventually they got the point and cleared a path for her. She picked up speed, lifting the big, heavy skirts of her dress.

"Mom! Mother!"

Her dress was a poofy, white, fairytale gown. She ignored the sewer gunk that splashed up onto it and her. She kicked off her heels and ran full out, her bare feet pounding against the rough cement of the sidewalk.

Rachel could only imagine what she must've looked like to the New Yorkers around her who didn't know her. They probably thought she was a drunken runaway bride high on life or something crying for her mommy to help her.

After a few blocks she stopped, sighing with defeat and giving up. She didn't understand how someone could just disappear so quickly, so easily. She walked back to the theatre in a daze.

Rachel was slightly surprised when she found her fans still waiting for her. Her mouth opened and closed continuously. She felt like a fish. "I… uh…" she croaked.

Her cast mates stared at her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and squinted, trying to clear her jumbled thoughts. Finally, she shook her head.

"I-I can't do this now. I'm pretty sure I've just survived a traumatic experience. I'm sorry, everyone, you'll have to go on without me. Or we'll have to reschedule. I just… I have to be a lone right now."

She heard the groans of disappointment and tried not to look at the hurt expressions as she rushed back into the building. She ran to her dressing room, shut the door behind her, leaned back onto it, and closed her eyes, breathing heavily.

"No way was I imagining that. She was there! I know it. She had to have been. I'm not crazy," Rachel muttered to herself.

She crossed the room to her purse and reached for her phone. She punched in the numbers furiously before tapping on the call button. The phone ran. She waited.

"Oh, come on. Please be the right person. Please work. Please be the right number."

"William Corcoran speaking."

Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Um… Mr. Schue?"

"Yes?"

"This is Rachel Berry."

"Oh!" The surprise was obvious in his voice. "Hi, Rachel! How are you?"

"I'm doing very well, thank you. Why did you say your name was Will Corcoran though?"

There was a pause at the other end. "Um, well… your mother and I started dating after you graduated college. We fell in love and got married a few years ago."

She frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"We tried to, but you were so busy- and then so famous- that we never could get hold of you."

"Oh. I see." She grinned. "So how come you didn't come over to see me too?"

"Huh?" was his reply.

"How come you didn't go to see me in New York too?"

"What are you talking about, Rachel?"

"My mother came to New York today and watched me perform. How come you didn't come with? I would've loved to see you!"

"She didn't go to New York."

"She didn't?"

"No, she didn't."

"But I saw her."

"That's impossible."

"Why?"

There was silence at the other end of the line. Rachel started to worry.

"Mr. Schue-er, Corcoran?" she pressed. "Will?" She heard a deep breath being taken. "Tell me. Please. Tell me what you know. I deserve to know. What's wrong with my mother?"

When he finally spoke, his voice cracked. "Rachel, I don't know how to tell you this. Y-your mother is… my gorgeous wife is… is… she's gone."

"Gone? You mean like, kidnapped? Why aren't you doing something?"

"She's not kidnapped, Rachel. She's… she's dead."

She nearly dropped the phone. She sunk to the ground, cradling her head in her hands. She could hear Will's voice through the phone.

"Rachel? Rachel, are you okay? I'm so sorry."

She regained the ability to speak. "W-what? How?"

Tears welled up in his eyes as he explained. "There was a car crash a year ago. The driver was drinking and ran a red light."

She hung up on him, not wanting to hear any more. She couldn't believe it. Shelby Corcoran- her mother, Mr. Schuester's wife- was dead. She hadn't seen her since Regional's 12 years ago.

Rachel went to her wardrobe and reached for the top shelf. She took down a box she hadn't looked at for years. She took off the top. Inside, the only two things that her mother had left her were nestled in tissue paper. She took out the Lady Gaga dress Shelby had made her back when Rachel was 16, clutching it to her body. She inhaled the scent and began to sob uncontrollably.

The tears racked her body, flowing out of her eyes. Her body heaved. When she started to calm down, she reached for the other item.

Rachel ran her finger along the cool rim of the glass. She fingered the little jewels that ran along the outside. Her eyes settled upon the golden star in the center. She smiled through the tears as her mother's words came back to her.

"_Gold stars are kinda my thing."_

She titled her head upward. "You'd be proud of me, Mom. I did it," she whispered tearfully into the air. "I'm a golden star."

**END**

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**Please let me know what you thought of it by reviewing! But you all should know that this is only my second Glee fic, and I've only seen a couple of episodes. So sorry if it's too OOC or something. I didn't think it was half bad myself. Plus, it's in the future, and we have no idea what Rachel's gonna be like when she's in her late 20's. But yeah. Review (nicely, please)!**


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